The recent county push poll is flawed. I say that not only from my experience in market research, not only because of expert opinions and not only because the July 11 Daily Camera editorial claimed it came out as anticipated, (anticipation is automatic bias in scientific study) but also because I refuse to believe 80% of Boulderites are misanthropes.

Boulder-area growth control policy is actually population control. When both urban and rural growth is capped, there is nowhere for newcomers to live except the next Rock Creek or to displace old residents. If 80% wanted to execute the remaining 20% we would all be horrified. We are rightly horrified by ethnic cleansing, Chinese birth control and other population control measures.

I've heard the inane argument that selfish landowners "want" a home in the mountains but the people "need" mountain views without houses. This is communist misanthropy. In 5th grade social studies I learned that humans differ from animals in that shelter and clothing are necessary for survival. While we also have "psychological needs," the fact remains that housing is a tangible necessity to human survival. We know this when homeless die of exposure.

Is Boulder County supposed to be some sort of gated community? Is there only room for the bourgeois and the "pretty people?" We only allow pretty mountain sides, pretty wildlife, pretty colleges and students with pretty skis, bicycles and SUVs?

I don't like seeing all the new people and all their new houses and cars, either. But, population control is repugnant in all its ugly forms. Even the pretty people of Boulder County do not hate people to the degree of valuing wildlife or views above human beings. Boulderites are not misanthropes, regardless of the stupid poll.

R. Jones/Westminster